


Becoming Unbelted

by freddiejoey



Category: Arthur of the Britons
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-08-30
Updated: 2011-08-30
Packaged: 2017-10-23 06:15:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/247117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freddiejoey/pseuds/freddiejoey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How to explain an Arthur of the Britons costume mystery.....</p>
            </blockquote>





	Becoming Unbelted

Dirk the Crafty has always been rather chagrined by his misshapen eye. He may be a strong leader with a deserved reputation for prudent shiftiness – but he is only human when it comes to the common things of life. His wife had never minded his rather idiosyncratic looks. But she has been dead for two winters now and he has several small children – so, as soon the roads from the north are passable again, a young noble woman from Corin’s village will be travelling westwards to be his bride.

The monks say that only the soul is worthy of attention – that the body is simply an ephemeral shell. Yet Dirk cannot help but recall Mark of Cornwall’s oft-repeated scathing remarks: “Dirk with the extra eye”, “Dirk with the eye in his belly button” “Squint – eye Dirk.” His future wife could be a little alarmed by his appearance at first. So he has come here to Arthur’s village on the pretext of discussing new terms for their treaty - yet in reality to consult with Lenni and see if there is anything that can be undertaken to improve matters before the marriage takes place.

Now he stands in Lenni’s hut while she examines his awry eye. Lenni sighs, knowing that nothing can be done. It is a quirk of birth – as irremediable as the fact that she is a mute. However Dirk does not seem as if he is seeking stark verdicts at this moment and she always likes to at least give some sort of positive determination if she possibly can. Lenni will not lie – still, her innate kindly instincts see no need to be cruel.

She makes a series of emphatic gestures, indicating that she is going down to the longhouse to fetch something. Then Lenni signs that Dirk should relax and await her return. Llud got a cinder in his eye last week and she gave him a pot of salve to reduce the irritation. Of course, it will not do anything to alter the shape or size of Dirk’s ill-proportioned eye. But the ointment will sooth when it itches or waters.

Smiling, Lenni pats Dirk reassuringly on the arm and walks outside into the pale wintry sunshine. Winter, season of mud and rain and slush. Still she does not care. It also keeps marauding pillagers close to their own hearths. And Kai has needed this time to heal. Since their experience in the quarry, with the slaves, he has been fragile. You cannot be asked to flay your brother – and the person you love as the grey wolf loves the moon – without scourging your own heart infinitely harder than any flagellation of the flesh.

Down in the longhouse Arthur is busily writing something on a parchment - which no doubt concerns Dirk - and Llud is occupied sharpening a pile of daggers on a whetstone. They look up and smile as Lenni comes in, Llud indicating that he is fully finished with the unguent and certainly she must give it to Dirk. He will no doubt find it highly effective.

Returning back through the mire, Lenni glimpses Kai paddling through the sludge around the stables. He is like the brightest beacon on this dull day – blonde and beauteous. She pauses for a moment, totally heedless of the sprinkling rain and the way her feet are slowly sinking into the ooze – and sighs in rapture. Then she recalls Dirk and trudges on to her hut.

The sight that greets Lenni as she pushes through the door, proffering the balm, is memorable for a variety of reasons – none of them all that agreeable. Dirk is standing stark naked in front of the hearth, his long slender cock already flagrantly erect – and growing stiffer by the heartbeat.

Immediately Lenni realises that he has utterly misinterpreted her consoling gestures. She sometimes forgets that those from outside the village can have trouble understanding her meaning. But even more urgently, the sight of a skinny, milk-white, shivering, without-a-stitch Dirk is hugely comical – in a moment, she is going to compound matters by bursting into uproarious laughter.

And that Dirk will definitely not misread. He will be humiliated and probably infuriated as well. Whatever his false impressions, he is still an important chieftain – and Arthur is concerned that this new treaty be ratified. Dirk will not make his mark on the parchment if she does not handle this circumspectly………..

Biting her lip, Lenni backs carefully out of the door – and promptly bumps into Kai. He holds out a bloody finger that he has gashed on a nail. Suppressing the urge to kiss and lick it better, Lenni pulls him aside and frantically explains the situation. Perhaps, this had better be handled man to man? Especially since Arthur is so anxious to keep Dirk’s good will………

Kai grins, nodding. “Go to the longhouse and wait Lenni. I think I know what to say to make Dirk feel better. I’ll be along in a while so you can attend to my bleeding finger and stop Llud scolding about the dangers of it festering.” His lips brush her forehead, as light and soft as a butterfly’s wing – so that making her way back to the longhouse Lenni need not worry about muck or silt, since she is floating several feet above the wet earth…….

A few days later, - after Dirk has ridden home, the treaty looking hopeful but still in abeyance - , Lenni finds his discarded belt among the rushes in her hut. Obviously in his haste to dress again, he has overlooked it. The belt is quite attractive – brown leather with looped stitching and double buckles - and of absolutely no use to her at all. It is also only suitable for someone with a beautiful slender waist. Therefore Lenni is only too happy to give it to Kai in gratitude for his assistance - and he accepts the gift gratefully. He has a new purple shirt which it will suit very well – although he is saving it for a special occasion…………..

And a few weeks later – after Arthur has travelled to Dirk’s village and the treaty has been successfully upheld, after their adventures with the Wood People – the special occasion arises. Not as Kai had first supposed, by turning Arthur’s head with the fetching combination of purple shirt and slinky belt (although his little brother had indeed noticed their prick-tautening appeal as he rode through the palisade gate on his return from Dirk’s, the Wood People standing sentinel outside the village.) Nor in fact from the union of the belt and any other garment.

But rather, on the night when Llud journeys to a Cornish wedding and Arthur whispers that he would very much like it if Kai was to laze in front of the fire, clad in nothing except that striking new belt – since Arthur believes he may just have gauged a way to remove it, using nothing but his teeth………….


End file.
